Clothes-line prop.



W. F. BRIGGS. CLOTHES LINE PROP.

APPLIOATION FILED DEG. 12, I905.

PATENTED SEPT. 17, 1907.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1,

WITNEEEESI INVENTEIR: %M 5% W4 6 .1. WAT I h BY M ATTY.

PATENTED SEPT. 17, 1907. W. P. BRIGGS. Y

CLOTHES LINE PROP.

APPLIOATION FILED DEG412. 1905.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 WITNEESEEI I INVENTURZ UNITED STATES WILLIAM F. BRIGGS, OF BRISTOL, RHODE ISLAND.

CLOTHES-LINE PROP.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 1'7, 1907.

Application filed December 12,1905. Serial No. 291,438.

To all whom it may concern: w

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM F. Bnrees, a citizen of the United States, residing at Bristol, in the county of Bristol and State of Rhode Island, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Clothes-Line Props, of which the following is a specification.

The nature of my invention consists in an improved means for operating the movable jaw which serves to grasp and hold the clothes-line securely, and in the improved construction of the prop in sections, whereby it is adapted for being folded, as hereinafter fully set forth.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1, represents a perspective view of a clothes-line prop provided with my improvement. Fig. 2, represents a broken enlarged detail view showing the jaws closed. Fig. 3, represents the same view showing the jaws opened. Fig. 4, represents a longitudinal section of the upper portion of Fig. 2. Fig. 5, represents a detail view showing a face view of the button which serves to operate the movable jaw, the said button being shown in its partially turned position for opening the jaw. Fig. 6, represents an enlarged section taken in the line 6, 6, of Fig. 2. Fig. '7, represents a perspective view of a folding clothes-line prop embodying my invention. Fig. 8, represents a detail view, showing the initial folding movement of the parts of the prop. Fig. 9, represents the prop in its folded condition. Fig. 10, represents an enlarged detail side view showing the parts of the prop when locked together. Fig. 11, represents an enlarged detail side View, showing the locking button set in the angular position from which the parts of the prop may be turned for folding. Fig. 12, represents a section taken in the line 12, 12, of Fig. 10. Fig. 13, represents a section taken in the line 13, 13, of Fig. 10. Fig. 14, represents a section taken in the line 14, 14, of Fig. 11. Fig. 15, represents an enlarged side view of the pivoted shoe of the prop. Fig. 16, represents an enlarged end view of the same.

In the drawing, A, represents the wooden bar of the clothes-line prop, and B, the movable jaw, which serves to engage with the clothes-line O, to hold the upper end of the prop firmly in position upon the said line, the said jaw being pivoted to the prop by means of the transverse pin 0. The movable jaw B, is provided with the perforation d, adapted to receive the backwardly inclined arm e, of the operating wire-rod D. The perforation d, is so enlarged that the inclined arm e, of the rod D, will be loose therein, whereby the said rod may be readily loosened for action upon the jaw B, in freezing weather, and the said rod D, is loosely held at its upper end by means of the wire eye f. When the rod D, is forced upward, the inclined arm 6, will cause the opening of the movable j aw B, and when it is drawn downward, the said inclined arm will cause the closing of the said jaw upon the clothes-line O,

which will then be firmly held between the movable jaw B and stationary jaw E. The lower end of the prop is provided with the pivoted shoe F, which is secured to the wooden bar of the prop by means of the pivot pin g, the said shoe being provided with the forked ends b, b, as shown enlarged in Figs. 15 and 16.

The inclined arm e, of the wire rod D, by means of which the jaw B, is operated, is preferably formed by bending the end of the said rod inwardly and backward, as shown in the drawing. In order to operate the said rod D, to open and close the movable jaw, I provide the wooden button G, which is pivoted to the bar A, by means of the pivot pin H, said pivot pin being prevented from turning or removal by means of the transverse wire h, which passes through a perforation i, in the said pivot pin. The button G, is preferably provided with the narrowed portion 9', and with the longitudinal groove 7c, whereby when the button G, is turned to the position shown in Fig. 1, the jaw B, will be closed and the slightly curved rod D, will be caused to enter the groove k, with a snap. The rod D, is pivoted to the button G, at the point Z, by means of the turned up end or, as shown in Fig. 5, which represents the position of the said button when the jaw B, is partly closed. And by means of the pivoted button G, the jaw B, may be closed tightly upon the line C, so that the prop will be firmly held in place upon the said line.

The application of my improvement to a folding clothes-line prop, is shown in Figs. 7, 8 and 9, in which the prop is made in two members I and J, the upper member I, being provided with the stationary jaw E, and the movable jaw B, while the lower member J, is provided with the pivoted shoe F. The said members I and J, are pivoted to each other side by side, by means of the pivot pin n, and the upper member I, is provided with a slit 0, which extends from side to side through .the said member, as shown in the section Fig. 12, and

also with a slit p, at its edge, as shown in the section Fig. 13. The lower member I, is provided with a slit q, at the inner face of its upper end 1, and with the slit 5, at the inner face of its lower portion, and with the metallic engaging lip To the edge of the upper member I, is pivoted the button G, by means of which in connection with the rod D, the movable jaw B is operated, the edge e, of the said button G being beveled as shown in Figs. 10 and 11, and to the opposite side of the said button G, is riveted the retaining lip 16, as shown by dotted lines in Figs. 10 and 11, and by full lines in Fig. 12. And when the button G is turned to the position shown in Fig. 10, the retaining lip a, will have passed through the slit 0, of the upper member I, and into the slit q, of the lower member, the engaging lip of the lower member being at the same time located in the slit p, of the upper member, thus serving to lock the parts I and I firmly together in their extended condition.

Nowlwhenjiit is desired to fold the upper and lower members I and J, as shown in Fig. 9, the button G, is to be turned from the locking position shown in Fig. 10, to the unlocking position shown in Fig. 11, in which position the inclined edge if, of the retaining lip 10, is brought to a plane coincident with the plane of the side w, of the upper-member, thus allowing the lower member to be turned upon its pivot 1L, to the position shown in Fig. 9, and when in this position the button G, may be turned back to its original position in which the retaining lip it, will enter the slit 5, thus holding the said upper and lower members together in their folded condition.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a clothes line prop, the combination of the wooden pole provided with the stationary jaw, the movable pivoted jaw provided with a perforation at its outer end, with the operating rod provided with an inclined arm passing loosely through the said perforation, and serving to actuate the movable jaw for inward and outward movement.

2. In a clothes line prop, the combination of the wooden pole provided with the stationary jaw, the movable piv oiled jaw, and the pivoted button, with the operating rod which engages with the movable jaw, and is connected to the pivoted button for crank movement, whereby the said jaw may be closed tightly upon the clothes line.

3. In a clothes line prop, the combination of the wooden pole provided with the stationary jaw, the movable pivoted jaw, and the pivoted button provided with the hold ing groove, with the operating rod connected to the pivoted button for crank movement, and adapted to snap into the groove of the button.

4. In a folding clothes-line prop, the combination of the upper member provided with a slit extending from side to side through the said member, and also having a slit at its edge, and the pivoted lower member provided with a slit at the inner face of its upper end, and with a retaining lip adapted to eiiter the slit in the edge of the said upper member, with the button beveled at its inner side and pivoted to the edge of the upper member, and provided with the retaining lip which passes through the slit in the side of the upper member and into the slit in the inner side of the upper portion of the lower member, whereby the said members will be held in extended locking engagement.

In a folding clotl1esline prop, the combination of the upper member provided with a slit extending from side to side through the said member, and also having a slit at its edge, and the pivoted lower member provided with a slit at the inner face of its upper end, and also in the inner face of its lower portion, and with a retaining lip adapted to enter the slit in the edge of the upper member, with the button beveled at its inner side and pivoted to the edge of the upper member, and provided with a retaining lip which passes through the slit in the side of the upper member, and into the slit in the inner side of the lower portion of the lower member, whereby the said members will be held in folded locking engagement.

WILLIAM F. BRIGGS.

Witnesses Socnivrns Scnonrmnn, Josnrn (I. Scrronmnnn. 

